Multipurpose container with dynamic appearance

ABSTRACT

The container has a first ornament on the outside of the container&#39;s main body. The main body is then wrapped by a number of rotatable rings made of transparent material and printed with a second ornament. As each ring is tuned individually, various visual combinations are created with the second ornament overlapped on the first ornament in different manners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (a) Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to containers for fluid orobjects and, more particularly, to a container providing various visualappearances.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

A container is for storing fluid or objects such as a dispenser forshower gel, a pen case for placing pens, a holder for objects like toothbrushes, etc.

Usually the outside of container is printed or painted with a graphicpattern, ornamental symbol or text, etc. These patterns, symbols, ortexts are not changeable. In other words, the appearance of thesecontainers is fixed. After a period of time, these containers would losetheir appeal or fun.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the present invention is to provide a multipurposecontainer whose appearance is visually changeable so as to obviate theshortcoming of fixed appearance of conventional containers.

The characteristics of the present invention is to provide a firstornament on the outside of the container's main body. The main body isthen wrapped by a number of rotatable rings made of transparent materialand printed with a second ornament. By turning the rings individually,various visual combinations are created with the second ornamentoverlapped on the first ornament in different manners.

To achieve the objective, the container includes a main member having afirst ornament on an outer circumferential surface, and at least a ringmember made of a transparent material having a second ornament on anouter circumferential surface. Each ring member has a diameter allowingthe main member to thread through while each ring member remainsrotatable. As each ring member is tuned individually, a visualcombination of the second ornament overlapped on the first ornament isprovided. Each ring member has a diameter allowing the main member tothread through while each ring member remains rotatable; and, as eachring member is tuned individually, a visual combination of the secondornament overlapped on the first ornament is provided.

The container further includes a cap member and a base member. The capmember is joined to a top end of the main member; and the base member isjoined to a bottom end of the main member.

In one embodiment, the container is a dispenser.

In one embodiment, the container is pen case.

In one embodiment, the container is a holder.

In one embodiment, the first or second ornament is a graphic pattern.

In one embodiment, the first or second ornament is a symbol.

In one embodiment, the first or second ornament is a text.

As described above, a user simply twists the ring members and theirsecond ornaments' locations are changed relatively to the underlyingfirst ornament on the main member. As such, the visual appearance of thecontainer provided by the second ornaments overlapped with the firstornament may be altered dynamically, adding additional value thecontainer.

The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introductionto the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects ofthe present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detaileddescription of the invention and the claims should be read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specificationand drawings, identical reference numerals refer to identical or similarparts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will becomemanifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to thedetailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which apreferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of thepresent invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective break-down diagram of a container according to afirst embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram showing the container of FIG. 1 afterassembly.

FIG. 3 is a sectional diagram showing the container of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective break-down diagram of a container according to asecond embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective diagram showing the container of FIG. 4 afterassembly.

FIG. 6 is a perspective break-down diagram of a container according to athird embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective diagram showing the container of FIG. 6 afterassembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only and are notintended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of theinvention in any way. Rather, the following description provides aconvenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of theinvention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made inthe function and arrangement of the elements described without departingfrom the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

FIGS. 1 to 3 depict a container according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention. As illustrated, the container includes a main member1, a base member 2, a cap member 3, and a number of ring members 4. Themain member 1 has a first ornament P1 on an outer circumferentialsurface. For example, the first ornament P1 may be any graphic pattern,symbol, or text that is printed on the outer circumferential surface.The first ornament P1 does not cover an upper portion and a lowerportion of the outer circumferential surface so as to reserve some roomfor the integration of the cap member 3 and the base member 2. The mainmember 1 has an open top end so that fluid or object may be poured intothe main member 1.

In the present embodiment, the container is a dispenser for shower gelor liquid soap. The cap member 3 may be, for example, squeezed into theopen top end of the main member 1. The cap member 3 has an outletprotruding upward from a top side of the cap member 3. The outlet isconfigured with outer threads 31 and a dispensing element 5 isscrew-joined to the outlet. After the cap member 3 is joined to the mainmember 1, the cap member 3 only covers the reserved top portion but notthe first ornament P1.

Each ring member 4 is made of a transparent or translucent material suchas acrylic, resin, glass, plastics, etc. Each ring member 4 has athrough channel 41 of an appropriate diameter so that the main member 1is threaded through the ring members 4 and each ring member 4 isrotatable around the main member 1. Each ring member 4 is, for example,printed with a second ornament P2, which may be any graphic pattern,symbol, text, etc. As such, what a user sees is the second ornaments P2overlapped on the first ornament Pl. Usually the first and secondornaments P1 and P2 are visually compatible.

The base member 2 has an open top end 21 so that a bottom end of themain member 1 may be tightly plugged into the base member 2 through theopen top end 21, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

As described above, the stored shower gel or liquid soap may bedispensed through the dispensing element 5. In addition, since the ringmembers 4 may be individually rotated, the container may manifestvarious visual combinations of the first and second ornaments P1 and P2by turning the ring members 4.

For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the first ornament P1 includes a treepattern and the second ornaments P2 have various numbers of owlpatterns. By turning the ring members 4, the owl patterns are overlappedon the tree pattern at different locations, thereby creating interestingand appealing visual effects.

FIGS. 4 and 5 depict a container according to a second embodiment of thepresent invention. As illustrated, the container of the presentembodiment is a pen case and includes identical main member 1, ringmembers 4, and base member 2. The cap member 3 however is different. Theassembly of the components and related details are identical to theprevious embodiment and their description is omitted here. Asillustrated, the cap member 3 has a tubular shape with a number ofpartitions 32 inside to separate different spaces for the storing ofvarious pens.

FIGS. 6 and 7 depict a container according to a third embodiment of thepresent invention. As illustrated, the container of the presentembodiment is a holder for tooth brushes and includes identical mainmember 1, ring members 4, and base member 2. The cap member 3 however isdifferent. The assembly of the components and related details areidentical to the previous embodiment and their description is omittedhere. As illustrated, the cap member 3 has a tubular shape with athrough channel for holding tooth brushes.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown anddescribed and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intendedto be limited to the details above, since it will be understood thatvarious omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the formsand details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be madeby those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the claimsof the present invention.

1. A container, comprising: a main member: a cap member joined to a topend of the main member; a base member joined to a bottom end of the mainmember; and a plurality of ring members made of a transparent materialhaving a second ornament on an outer circumferential surface; whereineach ring member has a diameter allowing the main member to pass throughwhile each ring member remains rotatable; the ring members are locatedbetween the cap and base members; the main member has a first ornamenton an outer circumferential surface not covered by the cap and basemembers; and, as each ring member is tuned individually, a visualcombination of the second ornament overlapped on the first ornament isprovided.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The container according to claim 2, whereinthe container is a dispenser.
 4. The container according to claim 2,wherein the container is pen case.
 5. The container according to claim2, wherein the container is a holder.
 6. The container according toclaim 1, wherein the first or second ornament is a graphic pattern. 7.The container according to claim 1, wherein the first or second ornamentis a symbol.
 8. The container according to claim 1, wherein the first orsecond ornament is a text.